I'm running a Pathfinder game in a setting where heavy armor -- or armor of any kind, really -- is not common.
Since the only way to really boost your AC via the core rules is by armor or magic items, which are also somewhat rare in the setting, I've decided to adapt the Defense Bonus optional rules from the d20 SRD:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/defenseBonus.htm
That's all well and good, and can be played as written with no conversion except for one Pathfinder class... the fighter.
Since almost no one will be wearing armor, the fighter's armor training class ability is rendered pretty much useless.
I'd like to come up with a replacement ability for armor training that a) similarly rewards a fighter for being a fighter and b) increases with level. (The armor mastery ability at 19th level is still valid because bucklers are still in use in the setting).
I don't want to just drop the ability because I'm using the Advanced Player's Guide and I want players to be able to take alternates that drop armor training for other abilities.
Any suggestions?
Here's my idea...
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Physical Training (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a fighter trains his physical abilities. He gains a +1 competence bonus to all Strength- and Dexterity-based class skills.
Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and 15th), this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4.
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This keeps the ability within the realm of affecting skills, as armor training does by affecting the armor check penalty.
Wow, that's a really good idea. I like playing acrobatic swashbuckling types, and my DM wants a "realistic" game (whatever that means--but it at least includes us not all walking around in plate armor the whole time), I'll have to run this by him. Consider this stolen!
One thought, though--the normal armor training potentially improves the fighter's AC by increasing his max Dex bonus in armor. This option doesn't do that, which I see as a bigger benefit than reducing the armor check penalty. Of course, this may be a moot point since I think he gets his full Dex bonus with the class-based defense option, but I haven't read my Unearthed Arcana in a while. Any thoughts on this?
You do get your full Dex bonus to AC in addition to the defense bonus.
I want to try to avoid things that further boost AC, since a fighter is going to have a +6 defense bonus right out of the gate.
One question my players had is whether or not the defense bonus would add to CMD. I'm mulling that one over.
Armor doesn't factor into your CMD so I wouldn't think this would either. The Defense System already works against touch attacks, and that's a good enough advantage already.
How about this?
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Physical Training (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a fighter trains his physical abilities. He gains +1 hit point per level. This bonus hit point stacks with any other ability that provides bonus hit points, such as the favored class bonus.
Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and 15th), this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 hp per level. (So +1 hp per level at levels 3, 4, 5, and 6, +2 hp per level at levels 7, 8, 9, and 10, and so on.)
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That keeps the ability in the realm of the defensive, without boosting AC.
I'm liking this one better than the skill bonus, because fighters aren't supposed to be the skill monkeys.
How about this?
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Physical Training (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a fighter trains his physical abilities. He gains +1 hit point per level. This bonus hit point stacks with any other ability that provides bonus hit points, such as the favored class bonus.
Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and 15th), this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 hp per level. (So +1 hp per level at levels 3, 4, 5, and 6, +2 hp per level at levels 7, 8, 9, and 10, and so on.)
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That keeps the ability in the realm of the defensive, without boosting AC.
I'm liking this one better than the skill bonus, because fighters aren't supposed to be the skill monkeys.
Hmm i would suggest something slightly different, since the Barbarian is supposed to be the hp monster.
Since armor training reduces armor check penality and increases the max dex bonus of your armor, I would suggest the following:
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Defensive Training (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, get gets better and better at avoiding the attacks of his enemies. He recieves the Dodge feat as a bonus feat. If he already has the feat he receives Mobility as bonus feat.
At level reduce the attack bonus creatures flanking you receive by 1 point, at level 11 increase the dodge bonus of your dodge feat by 1, at level 14 decrease the attack bonus creature flanking you recieve by 2 instead of 1.
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I hope this helps
I like that... they fighter is still flanked, but the flankers get less of a bonus to hit. It's a defensive ability, but doesn't always come into play.
Good one!